The [Polarbear Effects Drowner] is a fuzz, bitcrusher and shimmery reverb built into a single pedal by the Croatian builder Polarbear Effects. The circuit runs in a fixed sequence: a heavy silicon-based fuzz first, then a bitcrusher, then reverb, with each stage switchable and the order of the last two reversible1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio introduced it in May 2022 and added it to the site's article on the best bitcrusher pedals on the market1.
How the chain works
The fuzz is always first in the chain and is engaged independently with the right footswitch1. The bitcrusher and reverb come in together on the left footswitch, and a CRUSH toggle switch bypasses the bitcrusher if you want reverb without the digital grit1.
The VOLUME knob does not affect the fuzz directly. It controls the output volume of the bitcrusher and reverb at the end of the chain1.
The ORDER switch swaps the last two stages, and the two settings behave differently1:
- FCR: the bitcrusher is very reactive to pick attack before the signal goes into the reverb1
- FRC: the reverb trails activate the bitcrusher, which Delicious Audio describes as a more grainy sound1
Delicious Audio's description of the two settings: "Placing the bitcrusher before the reverb enables you to have a tone that's very reactive to pick attack and that gets softened by the reverb"1.
The FX loop
The Drowner has an FX loop for inserting external pedals between the fuzz and the bitcrusher/reverb stages. De Gregorio wrote that "this pedal was designed for you to build your pedalboard around it"1. The loop requires a TRS Y-cable, a stereo male plug splitting into dual mono TS cables, with the R connection as Send and the T as Return1.
Power
The pedal runs on 9V DC negative center with a 2.1mm barrel connector and draws about 160mA1. Delicious Audio notes it should be used with a high-quality isolated power supply, and that unregulated supplies and higher voltages may cause suboptimal noise performance or damage1.
At roughly 160mA, the Drowner is beyond what many small daisy-chain supplies deliver per output, so plan your power accordingly1.
The Ultimate V4
In November 2024, Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson covered the Drowner Fuzz/Crush/Reverb Ultimate, a fourth version in which Polarbear's Darko "has essentially absorbed his Delay Shoegazer Pedal - the Ascender - into" the Drowner2. The Ascender is the Drowner's delay twin, released by the same company3. The Ultimate adds selectable Reverb or Delay modes rather than simultaneous operation of both, plus a mini Fuzz Gain control, and Karlsson called it "a quite superb twofer combined reverb and delay"2.
The Ultimate's modes and controls2:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reverb modes | Modulated, Shimmer, Octave Down |
| Delay modes | Digital, Reverse, Pitch Up |
| Controls | Dry/Wet Mix, Reverb Decay/Delay Repeats, modulation, Delay Time, Master Volume, Order, Sample Rate, Crush, Fuzz Level |
| Fuzz voicing | Big Muff voiced |
The full details of the current version are on the Polarbear Effects Drowner Fuzz/Crush/Reverb Ultimate page. For where this pedal sits among single-purpose designs, see Fuzz Pedals, Reverb Pedals, Delay Pedals and Multi-effects Pedals.
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Questions
Does the Drowner's fuzz work on its own?
Yes. The heavy silicon-based fuzz is always first in the chain and has its own footswitch, the right one, so you can engage it independently of the bitcrusher and reverb. The left footswitch brings in the bitcrusher and reverb stages, and a CRUSH toggle switch lets you bypass the bitcrusher on its own if you want reverb without the digital grit.
What does the ORDER switch do on the Drowner?
The ORDER switch changes the order of the bitcrusher and reverb in the effects chain. In the FCR setting, the bitcrusher is very reactive to pick attack before the signal goes into the reverb. In the FRC setting, the reverb trails activate the bitcrusher, which Delicious Audio describes as a more grainy sound.
Can I put other pedals in the Drowner's FX loop?
Yes. The FX loop sits between the fuzz and the bitcrusher/reverb stages, and the pedal was designed for players to build a pedalboard around it. You can insert external effects there so they hear your fuzz but sit ahead of the crushed, reverberated part of the chain.
What cable does the Drowner's FX loop need?
The FX loop requires a TRS Y-cable: a stereo male plug that splits into dual mono TS cables. On that cable, the R connection is the Send and the T connection is the Return, so the single jack on the pedal carries both the send and return signals.
What size is the Drowner's enclosure?
The Drowner uses a 1590BB enclosure measuring 11.7 x 9.2 x 5.7 cm, which is 4.6 x 3.62 x 2.24 inches in length, width and height. That is a compact but not miniature box, large enough to carry the pedal's three effect stages, its switches and the FX loop jack.
Sources (3)
- Polarbear Effects Drowner Fuzz/Bitcrusher/Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-05
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-11-19
- Polarbear Effects Ascender Fuzz/Delay/Bitcrusher, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-05
